Manring: Trash bag limit here to stay, recycling up

William O'Callahan of Deborah Lane simply doesn't want to have to think about his trash this much.

Last week, O'Callahan took out a full page ad in The Landmark expressing his unhappiness with the three-bag limit recently adopted by the Department of Public Works and asked residents to voice their objections.

O'Callahan is concerned about the weeks when he may have extra trash due to a birthday party or other special event.

"I had a party the weekend before this policy went into effect, and my trash didn't get picked up. They left some behind. Do I need to tie a balloon to my trash so they know I had a party and will pick up the extra bags?" O'Callahan said.

O'Callahan wants one of two things to happen: he wants his trash picked up, or he wants a chance to talk about it in an open forum.

"My issue is that it doesn't make sense. We voted against pay as you throw a while back, and this is a back door pay as you throw policy without the debate," O'Callahan said. DPW Supt. Louis Manring said "the program is working so well that there's not a chance I'm going to suspend it. I have received several phone calls and letters in support of the program, and six or seven of Mr. O'Callahan's letters back from the ad."

DPW imposed the three-bag limit to increase recycling. According to Manring, with the exception of the bag limit the trash rules and regulations have not changed in the last eight years.

"The bottom line is the policy is working," Manring said. "In December 2006 we sold a total of seven recycling bins. In the three weeks since January 8, we have sold a total of 49 bins, including two to Mr. O'Callahan along with a recycling sticker."

In a letter to town residents, Manring wrote that Sterling's recycling rate has dropped from 42 percent to 38 percent in two years. In 2005 the average monthly tonnage for trash was 180 tons; in 2006 it rose to 193 tons while the town's population only increased one percent, he said.

"In the eight weeks prior to Christmas - not counting Christmas - we were picking up 49 tons of trash. Since January 8 we have picked up an average of 38 tons per week; in the same time period, curbside recycling increased six percent.

"There are two main reasons for developing better recycling rates. One, it saves the town money, and two, it's the right thing to do for the environment," Manring noted.

Manring said an occasional extra bag or two for special events will be picked up.

O'Callahan is hoping to get Manring to reconsider the policy.

"We love it here in Sterling. I'm a oneissue constituent. It makes no sense to me to leave the trash behind, and quite frankly, I don't want to think about my trash this much," he said.

Manring said he might reconsider if 200- 300 people complained, but for now he feels the program is working.

"I'm not going to change what is an effective policy for one man's inconveniences," he said.